Introducing Solid Foods to Your Baby

Topic Overview

Breast milk or formula is the only food babies need for the
first 6 months of life, at which point solid foods can be gradually introduced.
Ideally, your baby will be fed only breast milk until 6 months of age. Before
you start offering solid foods, talk to your doctor. He or she will want to be
certain that your baby is physically and developmentally ready. And although breast-fed babies get the best possible nutrition, they will probably need certain vitamin or nutritional supplements to maintain or improve their health. Breast-fed babies need 400 IU of vitamin D each day from a supplement. Formula-fed babies may also need a vitamin D supplement, depending on how much formula they drink each day. Talk with your doctor about how much and what sources of vitamin D are right for your baby. After 4 months of age, your baby will probably not get enough iron from breast milk alone. Your doctor may prescribe a liquid iron supplement until your baby gets enough iron from iron-fortified formulas or foods high in iron. Breast-fed babies born prematurely may be prescribed a liquid iron supplement by 1 month of age.

Has started to transition from using the sucking
reflex to swallowing and does not push a spoon or
other object out with the tongue when it is placed in the
mouth.

Can sit with support.

Has good head and neck
control.

When you and your doctor have determined your baby is ready
to start eating solid foods, keep these general guidelines in mind.

Typically, iron-fortified, single-grain infant cereal is offered first. Then pureed or mashed fruits, vegetables, and meats are offered. The order in which foods are introduced is not critical. But only add one new food at a time, and wait a few days before you add the next new food. Do not add cereal to bottles. Instead, spoon-feed your baby
a mixture of cereal and breast milk or formula, gradually making the mixture thicker. Be
sure to include foods rich in vitamin C, which helps your baby absorb iron.footnote 1

Feed your baby a small amount—about
1 tsp (5 mL) to
2 tsp (10 mL)—of a new type of
food for a few days along with foods he or she has already been eating. Observe
your baby before introducing another new food. This is especially important if
any family members have
food allergies or other allergies.footnote 2 This strategy helps you quickly identify a food that may be
causing a reaction, such as a rash, vomiting, or diarrhea. Eggs, milk, wheat, soy, and peanuts cause
most of the
allergic reactions in children.

Make
sure foods are strained or mashed and that there are no pieces that could cause
your baby to choke.

Do not feed your baby directly from the food jar. Instead,
put some of the food onto a small dish. That way, germs from your baby's mouth
won't get into the jar and spoil the food that is left in the jar.

When you first start,
don't choose foods with mixed textures, such as broth with vegetables. These
kinds of meals are the hardest for a baby to eat.

As you introduce new foods, it is important to pay attention
to your baby's cues. When your baby's head turns away from a spoonful of food,
don't force it. But try again later. Let your baby tell you when he or she is
full. Also, it may help to introduce new foods when your baby is well rested
and there are no distractions, such as a TV.

As your baby learns
to feed himself or herself, keep in mind that your job is to provide a variety
of nutritious foods, but your baby will decide how much to eat. It may take
more than 10 times before your child accepts a new food.footnote 4

Expect messes

Your baby will quickly gain new eating skills, such as chewing,
swallowing, and using cups and utensils, at about 6 to 12 months of age. Offer
your baby a variety of nutritious foods and gradually allow him or her to
explore different tastes and textures. Try to be patient as your baby
experiments and learns, and be tolerant of messes. Your baby will likely enjoy
playing with a spoon, but most of the food will fall off it. It's natural for
your baby to "make a mess" while learning about food. Until your baby can
handle a spoon better, you can give your baby a clean spoon to hold while you
feed him or her with a different spoon.

To help reduce your
cleanup, use a child's high chair that has a detachable tray and raised rims.
The rims on the tray help keep dishes and food from sliding off. And you can
carry the tray to the sink for cleaning. Cover the seat with a removable,
washable pad. Also, think about covering the floor around the high chair.
Remember—your child is learning by experimenting.

Other Works Consulted

American Academy of Pediatrics (2010). Diagnosis and prevention of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia in infants and young children (0–3 years of age). Pediatrics, 126(5): 1040–1050. Available online: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/126/5/1040.

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